Isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) is an example of an aliphatic diisocyanate that may be used in specialized applications, such as polyurethane coatings which are resistant to abrasion and degradation from ultraviolet light. IPDI may be synthesized from renewable sources, such as sugars. For example, bacterial fermentation of sugar may be used to form acetone, which may then be utilized to synthesize IPDI. Alternative diisocyanates that are derived from bio-renewable resources may also provide benefits in a variety of applications.